Stray
by lrr
Summary: What happened to toby after it all? Warning: Major pretentiousness on my part and angst angst angst on Tobi's part.
1. Runaway

**_RUN!_**

**Even as I told myself to do that, my legs refused to coopertate. They never moved fast enough. No step was long enough. No matter where I would dwell next, that demon barber would haunt me...**

_**I'm a Murderer now!**_

_**Murder!**_

_**MURDER!**_

_**I've killed!!**_

_**I'm bound for hell!!**_

**Sweat was poring off my face, mingling with the tears I'd shed. Why were they shed? Why were they wasted on that demon? And the woman I'd sworn to protect. I had sung it to her. She had sung back! **

**She had loved me hadn't she?**

**HADN'T SHE?! **

**I was crying again. Why? Why was I crying? I should have known it was too good to be true! I was foolish. Ms. Lovette! She was in on it! I saw the evidence. The corpses that fell strait from the chair. The bones. The pies.**

**Oh no not that. **

**I tried to suppress that until later. When I was well out of London.**

"**There's a hole in the world,**

**It's a great black pit**

**And it's filled with people who are filled with shit**

**And the vermin in the world inhabit it.**

**But not for long.**

**THEY ALL DESERVE TO DIE!"**

**I heard him sing it in his sleep. The way he yelled out the end in that desperate voice. It used to make me jump out of my bed. Back when I was a pet. Now I was a stray dog.**

**Pushing my legs faster, panting wildly, I felt those pies in my stomach. Humans. **

_**Humans!**_

_**HUMANS!**_

_**You're a cannibal!!**_

_**CANNIBAL!!**_

_**BE DAMMED!! **_

"**No. Please. No," I sobbed. There was no one around. A common London mist was settling. I felt more alone than ever.**

**Where would I go?**

**I couldn't take it. I collapsed on the pebbly ground of London. Ugh. I could feel the nausea coming.**

**Crawling to the side of the road, I heaved.**

**Partially digested pieces of the hellish pies came out, making me regurgitate again until only bile came out. Green bile. **

**I fell into a clump of bushes and let unconsciousness wash me clean of memories. Feelings. A soul.**

**I could still hear her singing to me in my sleep.**

**"_Nothin's gonna harm you..."_**

**I cried, the tears leaving salty residue on my face when I woke up.**

**My fingers involuntarily closed around the shut blade. I still hadn't dropped it.**

* * *

**Now where would the next town be? I didn't know where I was. Not a clue.**

**That was good. Another start.**

**Vaugley, I remembered the blood. Dripping down my fingers. Cascading.**

'**There's a hole in the world **

**Like a great black pit**

**And it's filled with people who are filled with shit**

**And all the vermin in the world inhabit it.**

**But not for long.**

**They all deserve to DIE'**

**The last phrase word through my teeth. It felt so right there.**

_**Thank you Toby...**_

_**You're welcome... Mr. Todd. I'm pleased to oblige. Just tell me which rodent to rid of next. Soon the vermin shall be gone from that great black pit.**_

_**I knew you had it in you, Toby. **_

**I smiled. He was pleased with me. In the little corner of my mind where he stayed, he was pleased.**

**I wanted to keep him that way...**


	2. Dream of Death

I stared at the tall buildings ahead, then groaned and knelt down under a tree.

This place was surrounded by a field, with plenty of trees. But none of them bore fruit.

Just my luck. After two days of traveling, this was where I came, a fruitless, unknown town with too many trees.

I wimpered and clutched at my stomach. It was completely empty.

What with the pies still fresh in my mind, I doubted I could ever eat again.

And the thirst!  
I smacked my lips together greedilly when I thought of the gin Ma'am had given before.

But what I needed was water. That much was clear. At the workhouse they had made us drink every last drop of the foul smelling liquid. They said It was the most hidrating substance out there.

There was a stream nearby, but my bones were so weary, I didn't feel as though I could get up.

Mr. Todd? What should I do? I glanced down at the crusted blood on my clothes. Surely I can't walk into town like this.

Get up. Get to the stream.

But Mr. Todd, just a minute's rest is all I need...

Toby. Do as I say.

I sighed and got up. It was what I owed him.

I guess his spirit possesed mine now, I didn't look to far into it though. It came naturally.

My sore muscles began to shriek in protest of the unwanted movement. Ah well. It was what I deserved...

Just a bit farther, I told them. A little more...

Was the stream really that far away?

It went on. And on...

Until I colapsed at the bed. Could weariness really be that overpowering?

But all that weariness was forgotten when I thrust myself at the watter, nearly falling in as I drank deeply.  
After my thirst was quenched, I leaned against another tree, feeling the water splash around in my full belly, completely overpowering my hunger.

I pulled my shirt and vest off, revealing my skinny arms and nonexistant chest.

I plunged the shirt into the water. My vest I could do without. The old, scratchy fibers had retained all the blood, and there would be no getting it out.

I watched in satifaction as the blood left clouds in the water, easily removing itself from the flannel.

I spread it out on the grass and rested my head on my fist, imagining what the town was like.

Was it like London?

No. It lacked the inescapable fog that had haunted the city.

But still. What would the people be like?

Would it be small enough to notice the apperence of a skinny boy with no apparent -literal- home?

I let my eyebrows droop heavilly closed, feeling the warmth of the midday sun settle on them.

Ah. It felt so nice.

Wow I was tired...

"Nothin's gonna harm you... not while I'm around.

Nothin's gonna harm you, darling.." She pulled me into a tight embrace, "Not while I'm around," I shrugged away and looked up at her.

Her smile was so warm. Almost as warm as the sun.

But why couldn't I feel the warmth?

I looked around. Why was she gone!?

She was screaming. Damn that Mr. Todd. He'd finally killed her.

I pulled his rasor out of my pocket and tried to lift the sewer lid open silently...

But I guess he heard me.

"And he was..." He paused and lifted his head a little. He had that dirty begger woman in his lap. Why was she there? The one who had warned me of the 'witches spell.'

I guess she was all to true...But he had no reason to hold onto her like that. As though he was in love..

But I stopped thinking when I reached him.

I gritted my teeth and violently slashed his throat, watching the ruby-like blood drip from his neck to the woman's face... So beatiful. The blood suited her..

"NO!" I sat up strait, arms outstrched in the darkness.

I hugged my knees and sobbed.

Not out of sorrow. But of how much I enjoyed that dream...

* * *

**OMG BAD TOBY!!**

**DX Reveiw please??**

**My life depends on it!**


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